Tunisia
Travel Destination – Tunisia
Tunisia offers a mix of Mediterranean beaches, ancient ruins, historic cities and Saharan landscapes. Explore the UNESCO-listed medina of Tunis, the ruins of Carthage, the blue-and-white streets of Sidi Bou Saïd and the remarkably preserved Roman amphitheatre at El Jem. Further south, Kairouan, the mountain oases of Chebika and Tamerza, the dunes around Douz and the island of Djerba offer a different side of the country.
While Tunisia generally presents fewer infectious disease risks than many destinations in Africa, good travel health preparation is still important. Check routine vaccinations, practise careful food and water hygiene, protect yourself from mosquito bites and other insect bites, and take precautions against Tunisia's strong heat and sun. Review regional security advice before travelling, particularly if visiting remote areas or regions near international borders.
Health Risks
Pre-travel preparation
Arranging a travel medicine appointment before heading to Tunisia is a sensible step for any Australian traveller, ideally at least four to six weeks before departure. This consultation allows your doctor to review your vaccination history, identify any immunisations that are due, and give advice based on your planned itinerary, since spending time only in coastal resorts involves different considerations from visiting smaller towns, rural communities, or Saharan regions.
Healthcare in Tunis and other major cities is available for routine medical needs. Tunisia has good healthcare facilities in major centres, and limited or non-existent facilities in rural areas. If you are travelling to the southern desert regions, the western mountains, or any area beyond the main coastal cities, the distance from reliable medical care is a relevant consideration in your planning. When purchasing travel insurance, consider buying medical evacuation insurance for thorough preparation.
Insect avoidance
Although Tunisia is malaria-free, mosquitoes and other insects can still transmit infections in some areas and during warmer months. Dengue and West Nile virus have been reported and are spread by mosquitoes, while sandflies in rural and semi-arid areas can transmit leishmaniasis, a parasitic infection that can affect the skin.
During warmer months, particularly when visiting rural, agricultural or semi-arid areas, apply DEET- or picaridin-based insect repellent to exposed skin and reapply after sweating or washing. Long sleeves and trousers provide additional protection, particularly around dusk and in areas where sandflies are present.
Food and water hygiene
Tunisian cuisine includes couscous, brik, grilled fish, harissa and dates, reflecting the country's Berber, Arab, Ottoman and French influences. Gastroenteritis, which causes symptoms such as diarrhoea, vomiting, nausea and abdominal cramps, can result from eating contaminated food or drinking unsafe water. While the risk can be reduced with good hygiene, it remains one of the more common travel-related illnesses.
The quality of tap water can vary, particularly outside major cities, so bottled water is the safest choice for drinking and brushing teeth. Wash hands with soap before eating and after using the toilet, or use hand sanitiser when needed. Choose food that is freshly cooked and served hot, as thorough cooking reduces the risk of foodborne infection. Raw salads, undercooked seafood and cold or pre-prepared foods carry greater risk, particularly where refrigeration or food hygiene is uncertain. Peel fruit before eating and avoid ice or water from uncertain sources.
Rabies prevention
Rabies is a viral infection spread through the saliva of infected mammals, usually through a bite or scratch. It is present in Tunisia, particularly among stray dogs and cats, and bats can also carry the virus. Once symptoms develop, rabies is almost always fatal, but prompt treatment after an exposure can prevent the disease from developing. Avoid touching or feeding stray animals, including those around towns, tourist sites and accommodation.
Pre-exposure rabies vaccination is generally not needed for most short-stay travellers, but may be recommended for those spending time around animals, undertaking activities such as running or cycling, travelling in remote areas, or staying where access to medical care may be limited. If you are bitten, scratched or have saliva from an animal contact broken skin, wash the area immediately with soap and running water and seek medical care promptly, even if you have been vaccinated beforehand.
Our Travel Doctors
Our fully qualified doctors have an interest in travel medicine and immunisations. And they know travel. Their expert advice will be tailored for you, your travel companions and your trip.
Which shots do I need for Tunisia?
Hepatitis A
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Hepatitis A vaccination is recommended for unvaccinated travellers one year old or older going to Tunisia. This viral liver infection is acquired through contaminated food or water, causing fatigue, nausea, and jaundice, with more serious illness in older travellers.
Two doses of hepatitis A vaccination provide durable, long-lasting protection, and many Australians have not completed the full course. A travel health consultation is the ideal time to check and update vaccination history.
Typhoid
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Typhoid vaccination is recommended for most travellers, particularly those going to smaller cities, villages, and rural areas outside usual tourist routes. Typhoid fever is caused by Salmonella Typhi bacteria in contaminated food or water, producing sustained fever, headache, and abdominal discomfort that can progress to serious illness without treatment.
Travellers should discuss vaccination with a travel doctor. Food and water hygiene remains an important complementary measure regardless of vaccination status.
Rabies
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Rabies is a viral infection spread through the saliva of infected mammals, usually through a bite or scratch. It is present in Tunisia, particularly among stray dogs and cats, and bats can also carry the virus. Once symptoms develop, rabies is almost always fatal, but prompt treatment after an exposure can prevent the disease from developing. Avoid touching or feeding stray animals, including those around towns, tourist sites and accommodation.
Pre-exposure rabies vaccination is generally not needed for most short-stay travellers, but may be recommended for those spending time around animals, undertaking activities such as running or cycling, travelling in remote areas, or staying where access to medical care may be limited. If you are bitten, scratched or have saliva from an animal contact broken skin, wash the area immediately with soap and running water and seek medical care promptly, even if you have been vaccinated beforehand.
Measles
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Measles is a highly contagious viral infection that spreads through the air when an infected person coughs, sneezes or breathes. It typically causes fever, tiredness, cough, runny nose and red, irritated eyes, followed by a widespread red rash. Measles can occasionally cause serious complications, including pneumonia, inflammation of the brain and, rarely, death.
Cases continue to occur in many countries, so international travel can increase the chance of exposure in airports, crowded transport and other shared environments.
Australian travellers born in 1966 or later should have two documented doses of a measles-containing vaccine confirmed before departure. If vaccination records are incomplete or uncertain, a travel doctor can review your history and advise whether additional vaccination is appropriate.
Hepatitis B
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Hepatitis B spreads through blood and other bodily fluids, including through unprotected sexual contact, tattooing or piercing with contaminated instruments, and non-sterile medical or dental procedures. Hepatitis B vaccination is recommended for most unvaccinated travellers under 60 years of age. Many Australians received this vaccine through childhood programs, but some adults remain unprotected, and vaccination status is worth confirming before departure, particularly for those who may need medical or dental care during the trip.
Routine vaccinations
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A trip to Tunisia is a useful prompt to ensure all standard immunisations are current, including measles-mumps-rubella (MMR), tetanus, diphtheria, and pertussis, as well as hepatitis B and polio. A tetanus booster is worthwhile if more than ten years have elapsed since the last dose.
Tunisia carries a northern hemisphere winter influenza risk from November to April, so annual influenza vaccination is recommended, particularly for travellers heading to Tunisia during this period. COVID-19 vaccination should be up to date in line with Australian public health guidance, including booster doses for those aged 65 and over or with relevant underlying health conditions.
Tunisia
Other health risks in Tunisia
Gastroenteritis
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Gastroenteritis, also called travellers’ diarrhoea is one of the most common illnesses affecting international travellers. It is usually caused by bacteria, viruses or parasites acquired through contaminated food or water, and may cause diarrhoea, nausea, vomiting and abdominal cramps. Symptoms often begin within a few days of exposure, although some parasitic infections take longer to appear.
Risk can occur throughout Tunisia, including in higher-end accommodation, as food handling and sanitation standards can vary between settings. Eating from street stalls, markets or informal establishments may increase exposure, but careful food choices cannot completely eliminate the risk.
Most cases are short-lived and improve within several days. Oral rehydration is the mainstay of treatment, particularly when diarrhoea or vomiting causes fluid loss. Seek medical attention if symptoms are severe or persistent, there is blood in the stool, high fever, or signs of significant dehydration.
Leishmaniasis
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Leishmaniasis is a parasitic infection transmitted through the bites of infected sandflies present across parts of Tunisia, particularly in rural, agricultural, and semi-arid areas.
Leishmaniasis can affect the skin, causing persistent skin sores or ulcers, and is a common manifestation encountered by travellers. There is no vaccine or preventive medication. Applying insect repellent in the evenings, covering skin when outdoors in rural settings, and using fine-mesh or permethrin-treated bed nets in rural accommodation reduce sandfly exposure.
Schistosomiasis
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Travel to Tunisia carries a low but not insignificant risk of schistosomiasis. The parasite is released from infected freshwater snails and penetrates intact skin during contact with contaminated rivers, lakes, or slow-moving streams. All travellers should avoid wading, swimming, or bathing in fresh water. Swimming in adequately chlorinated water or sea water is not a risk.
Cases are rare but have previously been reported from certain freshwater areas of the country. Seawater swimming and adequately chlorinated pools remain safe alternatives throughout Tunisia.
Tuberculosis
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Tuberculosis (TB) is a bacterial lung infection spread through the air when an infected person coughs or speaks, producing a persistent cough, fever, night sweats, and weight loss. The risk to short-stay tourists in Tunisia is relatively low. Travellers spending extended periods in the country, working in healthcare or community environments, or in close ongoing contact with local populations face a higher level of exposure. A cough that does not resolve after returning from Tunisia should be assessed by a general practitioner with full travel history provided.
Non-infectious conditions
Crime and unrest
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Security conditions can vary by region in Tunisia, so check the Australian Government's Smartraveller website for current advice before travelling. Even major tourist destinations, including Tunis, Hammamet, Sousse, Djerba and the coastal areas, are often within zones where additional caution is required.
Travel is generally not advised in specified areas near the Algerian border, as well as Kasserine and the Chaambi mountain region, due to terrorism and kidnapping risks. Protests, demonstrations and strikes can occur with little warning and may disrupt transport or become violent. Petty crime, including pickpocketing and scams, can occur in crowded markets, medinas and tourist areas. Keep valuables secure, avoid demonstrations and large gatherings, and monitor current travel advice and Smartraveller information during your trip.
Safety on the roads and elsewhere
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Road conditions are generally reasonable on major highways but can deteriorate in rural and southern areas, while driving standards vary. Take care when travelling at night and use reputable transport providers.
Desert trips should be arranged through established operators with appropriate vehicles, communications and emergency supplies, particularly during periods of extreme heat.
Maintain good hydration and sun protection, and avoid strenuous activity during the hottest parts of the day. At the coast, swim at monitored beaches where possible and check local conditions before entering unfamiliar waters, as strong currents can occur.
Deep vein thrombosis
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Deep vein thrombosis (DVT) is a blood clot that forms in a deep vein, usually in the leg. Long-distance flights can increase the risk because sitting still for many hours slows blood flow in the legs. In some cases, part of the clot can break away and travel to the lungs, causing a pulmonary embolism (PE), which can be life-threatening.
During long flights, move around the cabin regularly, avoid sitting with your legs crossed for prolonged periods, and perform simple exercises such as ankle rotations, foot pumps and calf raises while seated. Stay hydrated, limit alcohol and sedating medicines, and wear comfortable clothing that allows easy movement.
Travellers with risk factors such as previous DVT or PE, recent surgery, pregnancy, oestrogen use, cancer, significant overweight or clotting disorders should discuss prevention with a doctor before departure, including whether compression stockings are appropriate, and seek urgent care for leg swelling, chest pain or sudden breathing difficulties after travel.